Court overturns mine expansion rejection
Posted
Phosphate Resources has won the right to expand its operations at Christmas Island, after the Federal Court overturned a decision by former environment minister Malcolm Turnbull.
In April last year, Mr Turnbull rejected the company's application to extend the lease of its Christmas Island mine by 256 hectares, because it would threaten flora and fauna.
Yesterday, justice Robert Buchanan found Mr Turnbull failed to take into account Phosphate Resources' environmental impact statement.
He also found the former minister failed to apply the correct tests under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Christmas Island Phosphates' chairman, Clive Brown, says the decision shows that Mr Turnbull did not do his homework.
Phosphate Resources is the biggest employer on the island, and exports almost 500,000 tonnes of phosphate a year.
